Thomas l



rNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS L. CALKINS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THOS. L. CALKINS AND J. W. BLISS.

COlVIB.

specification of Letters Patent No. 16,859, dated March 17, 1857.

To allwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. OALKINS, of Hartford, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Combs; and I do hereby declare that the same is described and represented in the following specification and drawings sufficient tO enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same.

I will proceed to describe the construction and Operation referring to the drawings in which the same letters indicate like parts in each of the figures.

The nature Of my improvement consists in providing a sheath, having apertures corresponding with the number of spaces between the teeth, into or through which the teeth are admitted, and is made to slide back and forth to keep the comb cleaned, and protect it from breaking.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1, A, shows a comb of the ordinary construction, with the improvement att-ached.

B, is the sheath made by bending the metal in such manner as to be adapted to the shape and thickness of the comb also having apertures made or cut in the edge in the same manner and with similar tools by which the teeth of combs are cut, and also having crozings formed on the edges of the metal, so that when the teeth of the comb are admitted through the apertures, the

crozings will come together and allow the clasp c, to be slid on from one end over the crozings and then capping or turning down the end Of the clasp so as to prevent it from slipping olf, thus allowing the sheath tO move back and forth nearly or quite up to the edge Or end Of the tooth on either side.

The advantage and utility of my improvement will readily commend itself to public favor, when its advantages and merits are fully appreciated.

The sheath having apertures through which the' teeth are admitted, and leaving the remainder of the metal in thickness corresponding in width with the spaces between the teeth, which will perfectly clean the teeth, when it is slid up to the point of the tooth, first one way, then the other, also the strength of the comb is increased and the liability of breaking greatly diminished. It will also be noticed that the eXtra cost of the comb will be small compared with the utility and advantage derived therefrom.

What I claim therefore and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The use Of the sheath Figs. 1, :and 2, substantially and for the purpose as herein set forth and described.

THOMAS L. OALKINS. [Ls] IVitnesses:

KEZIAH C. BEACH, HENRY C. ROBINSON. 

